Have I Got News For You returns to Friday nights

The popular satirical quiz moved to Thursdays in 2010 after 19 years of Friday screenings, but some viewers and regular host Alexander Armstrong have been unhappy with the move, believing it no longer rounded off the political week.

BBC One controller Danny Cohen has said the show – featuring regular panellists Paul Merton and Ian Hislop – will revert to its former spot.

The move to Thursday was introduced under the tenure of Cohen’s predecessor Jay Hunt.

Alexander aired his concerns about the Thursday screenings in an interview this week.

He called it a ‘duff move’ and said: “I bitterly, bitterly resent it having moved to Thursday, I have to say. Thursday is a terrible night – that’s as a viewer, not as a participant. I don’t know what it’s doing on Thursday.”

Alexander – who has taken the hot seat more than any other guest hosts – said as recordings shifted to a Wednesday there had been less for scriptwriters to include.

“So they’re having to spin stuff out of thin air and they have to project a little bit, so I really do think it’s crackers,” he said.

Cohen said the return to Fridays would allow more of the week to be satirised.

He said: “Have I Got News For You had one very successful series on Thursday nights, but we’ve decided to move it back to Fridays where the whole of the week’s news can be discussed and satirised, giving viewers the most entertaining start to their weekend.”